Past and Present
by Aeon65
Summary: Horatio and Tim get ready to celebrate their second anniversary as they investigate a murder at Michael’s apartment complex. But not everything turns out the way they hope when Michael becomes ill. Slash, rating may change. Follows Dinner with Dad.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Past and Present - Part 1

Author: Aeon Cole

Beta: posting this as I write it so no beta, all mistakes are my own

Rating: FRT (this chapter)

Warning: Slash

Fandom: CSI: Miami

Pairing: Horatio/Speed

Series: Friends and Family

Word Count: 1950

Summary: Horatio and Tim get ready to celebrate their second anniversary as they investigate a murder at Michael's apartment complex. But not everything turns out the way they hope when Michael becomes ill.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

ooo

Wednesday, July 16, 2003

Michael sat in the waiting room of the doctor's office. He knew that he hadn't been feeling too well lately but he'd attributed his illness to the chemo he was receiving. He'd been surprised and a little disturbed when he'd gotten the phone call from the doctor's office asking him to come in for a consultation. After waiting for twenty minutes, the nurse finally called him in but instead of bringing him to the exam room she took him directly to the doctor's office.

"Have a seat, Mr. Speedle. The doctor will be right with you," she said as she turned to leave.

He didn't have to wait long before his doctor opened the door and walked into the room.

"Morning, Michael. How are you feeling today?" he asked.

Michael smirked. "I have a feeling you're about to tell me, doc," Michael joked. The doctor smiled but waited for him to answer his question. "I've been tired lately, not feelin' too well over all."

"Any pain?"

Michael nodded. "A little," he answered. "Mostly in my legs."

The doctor picked up Michael's file. "We got your latest round of blood tests back. The treatments don't seem to be working as well as they were in the beginning. The cancer is starting to spread, slowly, but it is spreading."

Michael took a deep breath and asked, "How long?"

"It's really hard to say at this point. We'll have to monitor you for a while and see how things go. I want you to keep up with the chemo schedule though. It is helping to slow the spread."

Michael looked at him for a moment then said, "Do me a favor. Don't mention anything to my wife or the boys yet."

"Don't worry," the doctor said as he held out a hand. Michael shook it and stood up to leave. "Make an appointment to see me next week. I'll do some more blood work." Michael agreed and walked out of the room.

ooo

"You're being awfully quiet today," Howie said as he looked at the cards in his hand. He looked over at his friend and noticed that he looked tired. "You feelin' okay, Mike."

Michael nodded. "Saw the doc this morning," he said but didn't elaborate.

Howie put his cards face down on the table. "Anything you want to talk about?"

Michael shifted in his seat and put his cards down on the table. "Don't feel much like gin rummy today, Howie. I've been kinda tired lately. Doc says the chemo's not working like it should."

"You tell your family yet?" Michael shook his head. "What is it with you New York boys anyway?" he asked.

Michael sighed. "My son's anniversary is in a few days. I don't want to spoil the occasion for them. Ary's planning a big party. I'll talk to them after."

Howie shook his head and was about to say something when the phone rang. He got up to answer it.

"Hello," he said then he was silent.

After a few moments he hung up the phone without saying a word. When he turned around Michael though he looked pale, as pale as it was possible for a black man to look anyway.

"Everything ok, Howie?" Michael asked.

It took him a moment to answer. "Um, yeah, fine," he said. "Look, do you mind if we call it an afternoon. I don't much feel like playin' anymore."

Michael regarded him for a moment then said, "Sure, no problem. Gotta go home and feed Oscar anyway." He got up to leave then turned. "If you feel like talkin' 'bout anything you know where to find me." As he walked out the door he asked, "We still on for breakfast tomorrow."

Howie forced a smile. "Wouldn't miss it," he said.

Michael walked down the hallway to his apartment. When he walked in he was greeted by a black and white calico cat who rubbed up against his leg and meowed at him.

He smirked. "I guess you think it's dinner time, don't you Oscar?"

ooo

Thursday, July 17, 2003

Speed and Calleigh pulled up in front of the assisted living center early in the morning. When the call had come in, Tim jumped on it and grabbed Calleigh to come with him.

"Your father lives here, doesn't he?" Calleigh asked.

"Yeah and from what I can tell the victim lives on the same floor," Speed replied as he got out of the Hummer.

"I thought this place had tight security?" she asked.

"It does. You have to be buzzed through the front entrance then sign in. It's one of the reasons we chose it," Speed replied.

They grabbed their kits and headed inside. When they stepped out of the elevator on the third floor they saw police tape roping off one apartment near the middle of the hallway and a small crowd of the elderly residents at the far end of the hall. Frank Tripp was standing by the taped off doorway waiting for the two CSIs.

"Frank," Tim greeted him. "What do we have?"

"Speed, Calleigh. DB, elderly male. Looks like his throat was slashed," Frank answered.

"Alexx here?" Calleigh asked.

"Nope, not yet," Frank replied.

"Great, so we can't touch anything yet," Speed griped. He hated getting to a scene before the coroner. But maybe they could interview some witnesses while they waited.

"Who called it in?" he asked.

"Well, actually," Frank hedged then he stepped to the side.

Michael was leaning up against the wall behind Frank. "Dad!" Speed exclaimed.

Calleigh looked between the two men as Michael pushed himself off the wall. There was no doubt in her mind that the two were related. She looked at Michael and saw Tim in about forty years. Tim walked over to his father.

"Dad, what happened?" he asked laying a hand on his father's arm.

Michael was still shaken. "We, um, were supposed to have breakfast this morning. My turn to cook. When he didn't show up I went looking for him." Michael shook his head at the memory of seeing his friend dead on the floor in a pool of blood. "It's Howie, Tim."

Tim sighed. Howie was the only real friend his father had made since moving to Miami. "I'm sorry, Dad." Calleigh walked up to the two men and laid a hand on Tim's arm. Michael glanced at her. "Dad, this is Calleigh. She's going to be working this case with me."

Michael looked her up and down then held out his hand. "Nice to meet you young lady." Calleigh smiled and shook his hand.

"Likewise," she said. She didn't realize she was still staring at Michael until he raised an eyebrow. "Sorry," she said a little embarrassed. "I still can't believe how much you two look alike."

They both chuckled. "We get that a lot," Michael said and Tim concurred.

"So, Mr. Speedle, any idea who would want to hurt your friend?" Calleigh asked.

Michael shook his head. "All I know is that he got a phone call yesterday afternoon that shook him up. He wouldn't talk about it after. We were playing cards before the phone rang then after he said he wanted to be alone for a bit so I left."

"Do you remember what he said while he was on the phone?" Calleigh asked.

"After hello," Michael said. "He said nothing, just listened. When he hung up he looked shaken. I asked him if something was wrong and he just brushed me off. Said everything was fine."

Calleigh nodded. "I'm going to head inside and wait for Alexx."

"I'll be there in a minute," Tim said.

Once they were alone, Michael said, "Nice girl."

"Don't," Tim said. It was something in his father's tone.

Michael smirked. "All I said was she's a nice girl."

"It's not what you said, it's how you said it," Tim replied.

Michael shook his head. "Can't blame me for trying," he said then a wave of dizziness came over him and he rested his hand on the wall for support.

Tim reached out and grabbed his arm. "Dad, are you ok?" he asked, his voice suddenly filled with concern.

"Yeah, fine," Michael said. He shook it off and said, "Sorry. It's not every day you find your best friend with his throat slit." He didn't like lying to his son but now was not the time to discuss his health.

"Yeah, ok," Tim said not completely convinced. "Maybe you should go back to your apartment and sit down for a while. I'll stop by before I leave." Michael agreed and walked back to his room leaning heavily on his cane.

Tim watched him until he reached his door then turned toward the crime scene. He'd never had the chance to meet Howie but his father talked about him often. They'd become fast friends after Michael had moved in.

Calleigh was already at work when Tim began to scan the room. He pulled out his camera and carefully approached the body. He studied the area and the body; that of an elderly, black male with snow white hair. There was a cane lying next to him and some papers scattered on the floor. It didn't look like there had been too much of a struggle so Tim thought that maybe Howie knew his attacker and wasn't expecting it. That would also explain how the person got into the building.

ooo

Arya walked up to the front desk at the Miami-Dade Crime Lab and asked for Alexx Woods.

"Sorry, ma'am. She left on a call a while ago," Paula said. And before Arya could ask, Paula continued, "And Tim is out on the same call."

Arya chuckled. "My day, I guess. I don't suppose Horatio is here."

"Yes ma'am. He's up in his office. Would you like me to call him for you?"

"Yes, thanks."

After a few minutes Horatio appeared in the lobby. He smiled at Arya and she gave him a hug. "What can I do for you today?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Just thought I'd say hello, since I was here. I guess I missed Alexx and Tim." Horatio nodded and Arya got the feeling that he wasn't telling her something. "What aren't you telling me, Horatio?"

He ducked his head and smiled. "How do you do that?" he asked. She just raised an eyebrow. "There was a murder at the rest home where Michael lives." At the look he got from her he said quickly, "He's fine. It was a friend of his, Howard Little. Tim called a little while ago to tell me."

Arya's hand went to her mouth. "Poor Howie. What happened?"

"Don't know yet. That's what Tim and Calleigh are there to find out. But you might want to give Michael a call. He's the one who found the body."

Arya pulled her cell phone out of her purse and dialed as she walked over to the corner of the waiting room.

ooo

Michael picked up the phone on the third ring. "Hello."

"Michael, I just heard what happened?" Arya said. "I'm sorry."

"How did you hear? Did Tim call you?" he was a bit annoyed that his son would do that.

"No. I'm with Horatio. He just told me," she said. "Do you want me to come by?"

"I'm fine Ary," he said. "I don't need a babysitter." He really wasn't in the mood to deal with his wife's fussing right now.

Arya sighed. "All right, if you're sure. But call me later if you need anything," she said before she hung up. "Stubborn old man," she grumbled causing Horatio to chuckle.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Past and Present - Part 2

Author: Aeon Cole

Beta: posting this as I write it so no beta, all mistakes are my own

Rating: FRT (this chapter)

Warning: Slash

Fandom: CSI: Miami

Pairing: Horatio/Speed

Series: Friends and Family

Word Count: 1730

Summary: Horatio and Tim get ready to celebrate their second anniversary as they investigate a murder at Michael's apartment complex. But not everything turns out the way they hope when Michael becomes ill.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

ooo

Arya snapped her phone shut. "You know, Horatio, every so often he reminds me why we don't live together any more," she said shaking her head.

Even though she and her husband never talked about it anymore they both knew that the real reason they hadn't gone through with the divorce plans had nothing to do with them reconciling and everything to do with Michael's health. They happily lived their separate lives though they remained husband and wife.

Horatio chuckled and pulled his mother-in-law into another hug. "Let Tim deal with him right now. I'm sure he'll come around."

Arya sighed. "I know. He just refuses every offer I make to help him."

Horatio shrugged. "He's just used to being on his own now," he said.

"He's been more grumpy than usual lately. I guess I'm just worried."

"You think it's his health?" Horatio asked.

Arya shrugged. "He's moody and he won't talk to me. It could be anything."

"Hmm. Like father, like son," Horatio replied and they both laughed.

"Any idea when they'll be back?"

"Hard to tell. Depends on the investigation."

ooo

Alexx walked into the apartment and found Tim and Calleigh examining the area around the body. "Sorry I'm late. Had another call on the other side of town."

"Busy day," Tim said.

"You have no idea, Timmy," Alexx replied as she pulled on her gloves and crouched down next to the body. She did a cursory examination before rolling him over. "Well I can give you cause of death," she said. "His throat's been slashed; deep by the looks of it. He bled out." She looked up at Tim. "Who'd want to hurt an old man like this anyway?"

"I guess that's what we have to figure out," Tim replied. He turned to Calleigh. "Cal, you got things covered in here? I want to go talk to my dad again and see if there's anything else he remembers."

"Sure, Tim, go ahead," she replied.

After Tim walked out Alexx turned to Calleigh and said, "I heard Michael was the one who found the body."

"Yeah," Calleigh replied. "Apparently they were friends. Tim's dad was expecting him this morning and when he didn't show he went looking."

ooo

Tim made his way down the hall and knocked on his father's door. Michael called him in and Tim found him sitting on the sofa in front of the television with Oscar in his lap. He walked over and gave the cat a scratch on the head. Oscar purred loudly.

"Shouldn't you be over at Howie's investigating or whatever?" Michael asked without looking at him.

"Calleigh's got it covered for now and Alexx just arrived. I came over to see how you were doing."

Michael huffed. "Why is everyone treating me like a child? I'm seventy-four years old for cryin' out loud. And I'm fine."

Tim took a deep breath trying to ignore his father's outburst. He knew he was upset. "Okay fine. I need to know if you remember anything else about Howie that might help. Did you hear anything last night? Do you remember anything from yesterday?"

Michael's head was starting to pound and he wasn't in the mood to answer questions. "Look, I told you everything I know and if I'd heard anything last night I would've said so," he snapped back.

Now Tim was getting frustrated. He knew that his father was upset but he didn't understand where the anger at him was coming from. "Ok, you know what, I think I'm the wrong person to be doing this. You obviously don't want to talk to me right now," he said and turned to leave.

Michael sighed. "Wait," he called. Tim paused but didn't turn to face his father, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap." Tim nodded. "I'm getting a headache. It's hard to concentrate."

Tim turned. "Ok, but I'm going to send Calleigh in. Take some aspirin," he said then he walked out.

Michael sighed as he heard the door shut. He knew he shouldn't take his mood out on his son but he couldn't help himself. Between what the doctor had told him yesterday and what happened to Howie he didn't think he could take much more. He shooed Oscar off his lap and struggled to his feet. The pain in his legs was getting worse and he was having some difficulty walking. He managed to get to the bathroom and take something for his headache just before he heard a knock at the door. He walked over to the door leaning on his cane and pulled it open.

Calleigh and Frank stood at the door. Calleigh smiled. "Can we come and talk to you for a moment?" Michael rolled his eyes and sighed. He stepped aside and let the two past. "Mr. Speedle, we'd like to ask you a few more questions about your friend," Calleigh said as Michael made his way over to the couch.

He reached down to balance himself on the arm of the sofa so he could sit but was having a bit of trouble. Frank walked over and took his arm. "Let me give you a hand," he said.

Michael accepted the help and said, "Thanks." He wondered briefly why he had an easier time accepting help from strangers and always resisted it from his family. "I already told Tim everything I know. I don't know how much more I can add."

"Well sometimes people know things that they don't realize. How well did you know Mr. Little?" she asked.

"Well enough, I guess. I've only been in Miami for three months but I met Howie right away. Turned out we'd grown up not to far from each other up north."

"Where was he from?" Frank asked.

"Woodbridge, New Jersey. I grew up just on the other side of the river in Staten Island."

Frank started taking some notes. "Did he have any family?"

"None that he talked about. His wife died a few years back. That's when he moved down here. He never mentioned any children."

"Do you know what he did for a living before he retired?" Calleigh asked.

"He told me he and his wife owned a used book store in Elizabeth. He sold it when she died."

"Ok, one last question," Frank said. "This place has tight security and a practically nonexistent crime rate. Do you have any idea who could've done this?"

Michael shook his head. "Honestly, I can't imagine." He brought his hand up and rubbed his forehead.

"Are you ok?" Calleigh asked.

"Just a headache, side effect of the chemo," Michael replied.

Calleigh nodded. "We'll leave you alone for now. But we may need you to come down to the station to give us a formal statement. Do you think you'll be able to do that?"

"Not a problem. Just let me know when," Michael said. "Do you mind finding your own way out?"

"Sure, we'll give you a call if we need anything else," Calleigh said before they showed themselves out.

ooo

Speed walked into the Trace lab and dropped a pile of evidence bags on the table. He pulled the flash card out of his camera and popped it into the slot in his laptop then he sorted through the pictures he'd taken and started printing. As the pictures printed he started taking down notes for the case file. This is how Horatio found him a few minutes later when he walked into the room.

"How'd it go?" he asked. Speed glanced over at him but didn't say anything. "That well, huh?"

"I'd like to attribute my father's mood to the fact that he's just found his friend dead," he replied.

"But…" Horatio prodded him.

"I don't know. I just get the feeling he's hiding something from me. I don't know if it's to do with the case or something else."

"Do you really think he knows something about this case?" Horatio asked.

Tim shrugged. "I seriously doubt it. Which actually worries me more," he said. "He didn't look well when I saw him. He said he had a headache and he looked like he was having trouble walking."

"Arya sensed something earlier today when she talked to him on the phone, but he wouldn't talk to her. She said to call her, by the way. I think she and Alexx are plotting again. Something to do with our anniversary." Tim rolled his eyes. "So what did you two find?"

Tim redirected his focus to the case at hand. "The victim's throat was slashed and his apartment was ransacked. We lifted fingerprints as well as shoe prints. I left those with Eric. Alexx is going to print the body and send me his clothes. Calleigh's with her right now for the post."

"Good, are you sure you're going to be ok working this case?" he asked. He had to be sure.

Tim nodded. "Yeah. But I'm going to let Calleigh deal with my dad as a witness. He seems more willing to talk to her than me."

"What did she find out from him?" Horatio asked.

"Just some general information about the vic. Though his life history sounds sort of generic to me. At least the way my father repeated it."

"You think this guy is not who he says he was?"

Tim pursed his lips. "Don't know. We'll know more when we can run his prints. I'm still a bit concerned as to how someone got in. I got the security tapes from the owners. Hopefully they can give us a better idea."

ooo

Calleigh pushed open the door to the autopsy theater. "Hi, Alexx," she said with a smile as she walked over to the table. "So what can you tell me about our vic?"

"Well, his throat was not slit, not with a knife anyway."

Calleigh looked at the body then back at Alexx. "Ok you've got my attention. If this wasn't done with a knife then what?" she asked puzzled.

"A garrote. Thin metal wire wrapped around his neck then pulled tight." She pointed to the area around the cut. "See how the skin is pulled into the wound. It's like that all of the way around. I couldn't see it before at the scene because of all the blood."

"This sound more like a hit than a simple robbery gone bad," Calleigh said.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Past and Present - Part 3

Author: Aeon Cole

Beta: posting this as I write it so no beta, all mistakes are my own

Rating: FRT

Warning: Slash

Fandom: CSI: Miami

Pairing: Horatio/Speed

Series: Friends and Family

Word Count: 1915

Summary: Horatio and Tim get ready to celebrate their second anniversary as they investigate a murder at Michael's apartment complex. But not everything turns out the way they hope when Michael becomes ill.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

ooo

Thursday, July 17, 2003 2:00 P.M.

Alexx walked into the small café and sat down across from Arya. "Sorry I'm late. It's been a long morning."

Arya smiled. "Not a problem. I understand," she said. "Did you have any problems getting out?" Alexx shook her head. "Do the boys suspect anything?"

Alexx chuckled. "Honey, they're CSIs. Of course they suspect something. They just aren't sure what yet."

"Well at least everyone's kept quiet so far," Arya replied.

"So, how are the plans coming?"

"Good so far but I know Tim's going to protest not being able to do the cooking. I was hoping to get Michael to help with that but he's been so grumpy lately and now with Howie." Arya shrugged. "But Jeff volunteered his house and Tony's lining up some music. The only trick is going to be getting them over there on Saturday."

"Maybe we should give up on the idea of surprising them," Alexx suggested. "I mean, they already know something's up anyway."

"I know," Arya said. "But I'm going to try to keep it a secret for as long as possible."

ooo

Eric was staring at the computer screen. He'd run across this particular problem before. He picked up the phone in his lab and called Horatio. "H, I think we have a problem," he said. Five minutes later Horatio walked into the print lab.

"What's going on, Eric?" he asked.

Eric pointed to the screen. Horatio took a closer look and saw Howard Little's name next to his fingerprints. At the top of the page he saw a red flag with a phone number that had a 202 area code. He knew what that meant.

"That's a fed number," Horatio said shaking his head. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed it.

"Agent Barnes," a voice at the other end answered.

"Agent Barnes, this is Horatio Caine from the Miami-Dade crime lab. I think we have a problem."

ooo

About ten minutes later Horatio walked into the trace lab and found Speed working on Howard's clothes. Speed looked up and could tell from Horatio's face that something was wrong.

"What is it?" he asked.

"We, um, we have a problem with Mr. Little," Horatio answered carefully. "He was under federal protection."

Speed immediately stopped what he was doing and stood up. "What?!"

"He was a protected witness. I don't have all the details yet but the federal marshals should be here within the hour. They won't tell me anything more until they verify his identity."

Tim's mind immediately went to his father and he pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Dad," he said when Michael answered. "Do me a favor and don't open your door for anybody. If anyone tries to get you to let them in, don't, then call me or Horatio immediately." He paused for a moment. "Look don't argue with me right now. Just trust me," he said then hung up.

"Don't worry," Horatio said and pulled him into a hug. "I already called the woman at the front desk and told her to be suspicious of anyone coming to see your father. She won't let anyone past who is not on the list of names I gave her and I told her to check id's as well."

"Yeah, but they could easily say they are there to see someone else. I should go over there, make sure he's ok," Tim said as he pulled back from Horatio's arms.

"Tim, relax. I've got officers at the building. Besides, there seems to be some tension between you and your father right now. Becoming all over protective isn't going to help things." He could see that Tim still looked skeptical so he said, "I'll go over and talk to him after I meet with the marshals. Maybe I can get him to stay with us until this blows over."

Tim sighed knowing Horatio was right. The tension between himself and his father, even though he had no idea what was causing it, would flare and Michael would resist his attempts to help. He nodded his agreement and sat down at the lab table.

"I just wish I knew why he was being like this," Tim said.

"Just relax. I'll have a talk with him," Horatio said. Tim glanced up at him and one side of Horatio's mouth quirked up. "Don't worry, I'll play nice."

Tim just chuckled and went back to his work.

ooo

Horatio waited patiently while the two federal marshals identified the body on the morgue table and whispered between themselves. After a few minutes they turned to Horatio.

"We need to talk, Lieutenant Caine," one of the men said.

Horatio lead them up to his office and shut the door. "Ok, you two want to tell me exactly what is going on now," Horatio said trying to be polite.

The marshals exchanged a glance. "The man you know as Howard Little has been working with us for the past two years. His real name is Terrence Cleveland. He was due to testify next month in the racketeering trial of New Jersey mob boss Anthony Maldonado."

Horatio looked back and forth between the two men. "What's the connection?"

"Cleveland was Maldonado's driver for twenty years," the other man answered. "He had intimate knowledge of Maldonado's comings and goings. His testimony was crucial to our case. We were actually getting ready to pick him up and take him to a safe house. We had just informed him yesterday to look out for a marshal to pick him up in the next day or two."

Horatio rolled his eyes and pulled out his phone while the other two men looked on puzzled. "Calleigh, go back to Little's apartment and sweep the place for listening devices. Oh, and don't say anything to Tim about this. I don't want to worry him."

The marshals glared at Horatio. "We sweep that place regularly, Lieutenant."

"Yeah, when was the last time?" Horatio shot back.

"A week ago," the marshal replied.

"Well, that's given someone a week to plant a bug. If there are any in that apartment my people will find them. Now if you'll excuse me, I have something I have to take care of."

He turned to leave the room when one of the marshals stopped him. "This is a federal matter, Lieutenant. We have jurisdiction."

"You'll share jurisdiction with my team," Horatio responded. "This is still our case," he said and strode out of the room.

ooo

After stopping at the Trace lab, Horatio headed for his Hummer. He needed to talk Michael into leaving his apartment for a while. There's no telling whether or not the same people who killed Howard would be after him as well. They had spent a lot of time together and someone may think that Howard had told Michael something he shouldn't have.

He pulled up to the building and flashed his id to the woman at the desk. "Has anyone else asked for Mr. Speedle today?" The woman shook her head. "Good," Horatio said and he headed for the elevator.

Before he went to Michael's he stopped at Howard's to speak with Calleigh. "Have you found anything?" he asked.

Calleigh held up a length of wire with a tiny microphone dangling from it. "There was one in the phone and one in the ceiling light fixture," she said.

"This man was a federally protected witness," Horatio explained. "That phone call he got yesterday was from the federal marshals telling him they were coming to pick him up and take him to a safe house. He was to expect them within two days."

"So the hit man knew exactly how to get in and when, great," Calleigh said.

"Look, I'm going to try to talk Michael into coming with me but I would like you to sweep his place for bugs first."

Calleigh followed him to Michael's apartment. She was about to knock when Horatio said, "Wait." He pulled out his phone and dialed Michael's number. When Michael answered he said, "It's Horatio. I'm at your door."

A few moments later the door opened and Michael stepped aside to let them in. "You mind telling what's going on," the older man griped.

"In just a moment, I promise," Horatio said then he nodded to Calleigh.

She swept the detector around the room. It began beeping loudly as she passed a table lamp. She reached up into the lamp and pulled a wire free. Michael was about to say something when Horatio held his hand up silencing him. Calleigh continued around the room before settling on the phone. She pulled another bug from there then declared the place clean.

"Can I talk now?" Michael asked somewhat exasperated.

"Yes, sorry," Horatio replied.

"Good. Now what the hell is going on?" he asked.

Calleigh bagged the bugs and said, "I'll leave you two alone." And she headed out of the apartment.

"Howard Little wasn't who he said he was. He was in the witness protection program," Horatio explained. This took Michael completely by surprise and he sat back on the sofa. Horatio could tell he was taken aback by this information. "His real name was Terrance Cleveland and he was due to testify in court next month in the trial of a New Jersey mob boss."

Michael was shaking his head. "Are you sure?"

Horatio nodded. "Afraid so. Two federal marshals came by to identify him today." He paused for a moment to allow what he'd just said to sink in for Michael. "Look, Michael, you're not safe here." Michael looked up at him a bit more surprised. "I want to take you back to our house until this whole thing is settled. But I need to clear the air about something first."

Michael was still in shock but something in Horatio's tone got his attention. "What?" he asked.

"I need to know exactly what it is that is going on between you and Tim and Arya right now. You have everybody very concerned and if you are going to come stay with us I don't want any tension between you and Tim."

Michael remained silent for a few moment then he said, "I expect you already know what Ary's planning for your anniversary."

"We have a pretty good idea, but we're not letting her know that."

Michael smirked. "I figured. Well I was going to wait until after to say anything but I'll tell you if you promise not to say anything to them until after. I don't want to ruin this for them."

Horatio said, "That all depends on what you tell me. Tim and I don't keep secrets from each other." Michael proceeded to tell him what he'd been told by the doctor. "Did he say how long you have?"

"No, just that they're going to monitor things for now. But the pain in my legs is getting worse. It's getting difficult to walk sometimes and I get these headaches," Michael said. "I guess I've just been trying to keep Tim and Ary at arms length so they don't find out."

Horatio nodded. "Ok, you have my silence until after this weekend. But after that you are going to tell them or I will." Michael agreed. "Good. Now let's get some things packed and get you out of here."

"What about Oscar?" Michael asked.

"I guess it's about time to see how he gets along with Cloe," Horatio said.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Past and Present - Part 4

Author: Aeon Cole

Beta: posting this as I write it so no beta, all mistakes are my own

Rating: FRT

Warning: Slash

Fandom: CSI: Miami

Pairing: Horatio/Speed

Series: Friends and Family

Word Count: 1730

Summary: Horatio and Tim get ready to celebrate their second anniversary as they investigate a murder at Michael's apartment complex. But not everything turns out the way they hope when Michael becomes ill.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Author's Note: I don't normally include Cloe dialogue within the maid body of a story but this time it seemed to fit.

ooo

Horatio called Tim after he packed the cat carrier into the hummer and asked him to meet them at home as soon as possible. He wasn't too sure about bringing another animal into the house without Tim around to wrangle Cloe. But he didn't need to worry. With the traffic what it was at that time of the evening, Tim arrived home long before they did. Before they got out of the car Horatio turned to Michael.

"Just remember what we talked about. Don't cause him any problems or the deal's off," he said.

Michael agreed and they got out of the car. Horatio grabbed the cat carrier out of the back and Oscar meowed at him. He chuckled and said, "Here we go."

He helped Michael to the door and walked inside. Cloe came running up to him but skidded to a stop a few feet away, her nose sniffing the air. Oscar meowed again and Cloe reacted immediately. Her back arched and her fur stood up. She let out a little hiss.

"Tim," Horatio called out. "Need some help here."

Tim walked into the room, took one look at Cloe and started laughing. He scooped the little cat up and balanced her in the crook of his arm.

"All clear," he said. Then he turned to his father. "Hey, dad. Feeling any better."

"Yeah. Sorry I was such a grouch earlier," Michael said.

Tim nodded. "S'okay, happens to all of us." He looked over at Horatio who was still holding Oscar's crate. "You going to put him down? He can't stay in there forever."

Horatio placed the crate on the living room floor and opened it. Oscar poked his head out and sniffed the air. After a moment he walked out of the crate and began sniffing around the room. Tim slowly lowered himself to the floor and sat cross-legged. He placed Cloe down in front of him and kept a close eye on her. It was her house after all.

Oscar casually made his way over to them and as soon as he got close, Cloe's back went up again and she hissed. Oscar just took it in stride and ignored her. He walked up to Michael and started rubbing against his leg.

"What's the matter, old man?" Michael asked. Oscar meowed in response. Michael took a seat on the sofa and patted his leg. "Come on up," he said.

Oscar jumped up onto his lap, curled up and stared purring. Tim picked Cloe up and sat down next to his father. "Now be nice," he said to Cloe.

Hesitantly the little cat ventured over to where Oscar was lying on Michael's legs and began sniffing him, starting at the back end. Oscar swished his tail and nearly knocked her over. Cloe was small, even for an adult cat. She only weighed five pounds. Oscar tipped the scales at fifteen pounds. But he had a good temperament and was a very laid back cat. As Cloe worked her way up sniffing his side, his head popped up and she jumped back. But she wasn't put off for long. She wanted to know what this other cat was doing in her house. Eventually she got close to his head and this time when he looked up she stood her ground and meowed at him.

Michael continued stroking Oscar trying to keep the older cat sedate. When Cloe moved closer and began sniffing around his face, Oscar nudged her with his snout then started licking her. When Cloe purred they knew things were ok.

ooo

Michael wandered into the kitchen and sat down at the table. "Can I help with anything?" he asked Tim who was standing at the counter slicing potatoes.

"Sure, if you like," Tim answered. He placed a cutting board on the table. He handed his father a knife and several large cloves of garlic. "I need this cubed."

Michael took the items and set to work. "So, is what Horatio told me about Howie true?" he asked as he chopped.

"I'm afraid so, dad. That phone call he got yesterday was his handler telling him that one of his men was coming to pick him up. They wanted to keep him safe until he was supposed to testify," Tim answered.

Michael shook his head. "You think you know a guy," he muttered.

They worked in silence for a few minutes until Tim finally said, "I can tell you're not feeling too well, dad. Mom can too."

"Garlic's all done," Michael replied completely avoiding Tim's comment.

Tim sighed. "Thanks. Look if you don't want to talk about it, I understand. I just want you to know that we know something's wrong and we're all worried."

Michael stared at the table for a few moments before speaking. "I've been getting these headaches lately and pain in my legs. It's getting harder to walk," he said. He debated with himself for a moment before continuing. "I saw the doc yesterday," he said finally realizing he couldn't put this off any longer. "He says the chemo's not working as well as it should." Tim stopped what he was doing and looked over at his father. "I didn't want to say anything until after your anniversary. I didn't want to spoil it for you."

Tim wiped his hands on a dishtowel and sat down across from his father. "Is the cancer spreading?"

Michael nodded. "But very slowly from what he said. I have to go back on Tuesday for some sort of test for the leg pain but he said they're going to monitor me otherwise."

Tim reached across the table and took his father's hand. "Well I'm glad you told me. We should tell mom and Horatio. They'll want to know."

"Um, Horatio already knows," Michael said hesitantly. Tim raised an eyebrow. "I told him when he picked me up. He didn't give me any choice."

Tim chuckled. "Yeah, he's like that."

"I made him promise not to say anything until after Saturday."

Again Tim raised an eyebrow. "Saturday? What's Saturday?" he asked innocently.

Michael laughed. "Oh, come on. That didn't work when you were six. What makes you think it's gonna work now?"

Tim chuckled. "I don't want to ruin mom's fun," he said. "But seriously, dad, let us help you. That's what family's for."

Michael gave his hand a squeeze. "I promise. I just don't want your mother fussin' over me like she tends to do."

Tim smirked. "I'll talk to her," he said.

A few minutes later Horatio walked into the kitchen talking on his cell phone. "Yeah, ok, I understand. Tomorrow afternoon, yes," he said then snapped the phone shut. "That was one of the marshals. They want to get a formal statement from Michael."

"Well, I've already told you everything I know," Michael said.

"I know, " Horatio replied. "But this is the feds. They have their own way of doing things. They want to talk to you tomorrow afternoon."

Michael shrugged. "Got nothing else to do." He turned his attention to Tim. "Besides, I guess this means I finally get to see where you work."

"If you're feeling up to it, sure," Tim replied. "By the way," he said to Horatio, "where are Cloe and Oscar?"

Horatio chuckled. "Oscar is curled up in the corner of the sofa. Cloe is sitting next to him and staring at him. She hasn't moved since he laid down."

Tim laughed. "I'd love to be privy to that conversation," he joked.

ooo

Back in the living room…

Cloe sat on the sofa a short distance from the other cat. She watched him intently. Finally Oscar looked up at her.

"Whadya want kid? Ya keep starin' at me."

"My name's not Kid, it's Cloe. And why are you in my house?" she asked.

"Who knows, kid? All I know is your human brought me and my human here. Why don't you ask them?"

Cloe huffed. "Are you gonna live here now?"

Oscar laid his head back down on his paws and sighed. "Don't know. I know my current human is sick. Maybe he's giving me to your humans."

Cloe thought about this for a moment before asking, "What do you mean by your 'current' human?"

"I've had lots of humans. Live with them for a bit, then they pass me on. How 'bout you?"

"I've lived with my brown human since he found me," she said.

Oscar picked his head up again and looked over at Cloe. "Found you?" he asked.

"Yeah. I lived with my mother outside until she went away. I was still very little. My brown one found me and took me into the house. I've been with him and his mate ever since."

"Wow," Oscar responded. "You were born outside? You lived outside?"

His reaction to that piece of information surprised the little cat. "Well, yeah. I still go outside, every day. There are two cats next door that I talk to. You'll like them."

"Sorry kid, but I'm a house cat. Outside is just, well, outside. I don't do outside." Cloe cocked her head to one side. "Look, you do what you like, ok. But I've live with humans inside my whole life. And I like it that way. A ceiling overhead and carpet under my feet. I'm simple that way."

"Ok, but I'm telling, you're missing out on a lot of fun," she said.

Oscar sat up. "Your thing, not mine, kid. So, when's dinner around here anyway?"

"Food's in the kitchen, anytime you want it," she answered.

Oscar hopped off the sofa and looked back at Cloe. "What are ya waitin' for? Let's go," he said and trotted off.

ooo

Michael looked down when he felt something rub against his leg. "Hi Oscar. You getting settled?" he asked. Oscar meowed then trotted over to the food dish and started eating. Michael looked up at Tim and said, "I think your going to need a larger bowl for both of them."

Tim looked down and saw Cloe trying to nose her way into the food. He chuckled and pulled a second bowl down from the cupboard. He filled it with food and placed it on the floor. "There you go Cloe," he said. Cloe moved to the other bowl and started eating. "Looks like they're going to get along just fine."

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Past and Present - Part 5

Author: Aeon Cole

Beta: posting this as I write it so no beta, all mistakes are my own

Rating: FRT

Warning: Slash

Fandom: CSI: Miami

Pairing: Horatio/Speed

Series: Friends and Family

Word Count: 1870

Summary: Horatio and Tim get ready to celebrate their second anniversary as they investigate a murder at Michael's apartment complex. But not everything turns out the way they hope when Michael becomes ill.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

ooo

Michael sat in the interview room at MDPD waiting for the marshal who was supposed to be coming in to talk with him. He glanced out the window and could see a man talking to Horatio and Tim out into the squad room. He couldn't hear what they were saying but the conversation looked animated.

He was trying to keep his mind focused. Sitting in a police station interview room brought back some old memories. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves and looked up just as the man walked in followed by a second. The first man held out his hand.

"Hello, Michael. My name is Agent Gabriel Barnes. I'm with the FBI." Michael shook his hand then looked up at the other man. Agent Barnes glanced over his shoulder and said, "This is Federal Marshal Kevin Garcia. We need to talk to you about your friend Howard Little."

Michael looked back and forth between the two men. As Agent Barnes took a seat across the table from him, the other man remained standing, and silent. Michael was already beginning to see how this was going to play. After all this wasn't the first time he'd had to deal with the police, though it had been a very long time.

"I'm not sure how much more I can tell you," he said. "I've already told the detectives everything I know."

"Well, why don't you go over it again, for our benefit," Barnes said casually. Michael repeated the same story he'd told Calleigh the day before. "So you met Mr. Little when you moved to Miami three months ago?"

"Yes, that's right," Michael answered.

Barnes glanced behind him to the marshal who reached into a file he was carrying and pulled out a photo. Barnes slid the photo across the table to Michael. Michael looked at it, not terribly surprised by the face that stared back at him. It was an old black and white photo of a young black man in his late teens, maybe early twenties. It was a police mug shot. Michael recognized the boy in the photo though he wasn't about to admit that to the feds. In fact, it had taken all of his will power not to react when Horatio told him Howie's real name.

"I'm sorry. Is this supposed to mean something to me?" Michael asked keeping his expression neutral.

The marshal stepped forward and dropped the file he was holding onto the table in front of Michael. "Let's cut the crap, shall we. We don't have all day," he said. Michael glanced at the file then back up at the marshal questioningly. "Don't you want to know what that is?"

Michael raised an eyebrow and shrugged. He did his best to appear uninterested. "If you feel like it," he answered.

"That, Mr. Speedle, is your life," Garcia said. "Since the day you crawled out of your mother's belly. Every family member, every friend, every known associate. Every school, every job, every employer." He paused for a moment before adding, "Every arrest, every conviction. Should I continue?"

Michael's demeanor changed perceptibly; he straightened his back and his eyes hardened just a bit. He glanced over at Barnes and with a slight smirk he said, "Let me guess, he's the bad cop."

"You think this is a joke?" Garcia asked raising his voice only slightly.

"What do you want from me? Yeah, ok, I recognize this kid in the photo. But that was sixty years ago. When I met Howie, I didn't recognize him. I had no idea who he was." Then a thought struck him and he mumbled, almost to himself, "But he knew who I was."

"You're getting the point, Mr. Speedle. The problem I have now is that you're connected to this case," Garcia said.

"I am not connected to anything. My meeting up with Terrance Cleveland again was a coincidence," Michael insisted. "I wasn't even aware of who he was until Horatio mentioned it yesterday. And even then I didn't believe him."

"So you're going to admit knowing him now?" Garcia asked.

"Knew him," Michael said. "I knew him sixty years ago. We were kids. He was driving for Tony Sr. and I was running numbers. Six years, that's all I did. Earned enough scrub to go to college."

"Maybe so but your ties were never completely cut, were they? The mob doesn't offer a 401K and their retirement plan comes complete with a tombstone. According to our records, just after your son was born in 1967, you borrowed a large sum of money from Anthony Maldonado, Jr. to open a restaurant in Oceanside."

"And I paid that money back plus interest within the year. I didn't owe Little Tony anything after that," Michael said. "And I had no more contact with him either."

"Well that may be the case but given your current circumstances, the mob may not see it that way," Garcia said.

Michael gave him an ironic laugh. "My circumstances? You know what my circumstances are, Mr. Garcia? I'm an old man at the end of my life. I don't anticipate seeing the end of the year." He pointed at the small oxygen tank that he carried around with him. "Lung cancer. A lifetime of smoking, a habit I picked up as a kid."

Garcia nodded. "I don't know if word has gotten back to New Jersey about you yet. But I'd watch my back if I were you. If they even suspect that Cleveland told you anything, especially given what your son does for a living, you know what could happen."

Michael nodded. He knew all to well what Tony, Jr. was capable of. He may have cut his ties with the organization decades ago but he still heard things.

"They found a bug in my apartment. Did you put that there or did Tony's crew?" Michael asked.

"The bugs that the MDPD found were not ours. Believe me, they'll never find the ones we planted," Garcia said.

Michael's eyes widened. "You have my place bugged? Then you must've had Terry's place bugged too." Garcia remained silent but Michael could tell from the look in the other man's eyes that he was right. "You set Terry up, didn't you? That's why you left him in that place instead of keeping him in a safe house you son of a bitch."

Garcia tried to hide his amusement as he said, "Mr. Cleveland was disposable, a good decoy. He knew the risks before he agreed to this assignment. We played him up to be our star witness. Little Tony's driver, the man who was privy to all the private conversations. The truth is we have our star witness locked away nice and safe and ready to testify next month."

Michael was fuming over Garcia's smug attitude toward a man he still considered to be his friend despite everything that had happened. He placed his hands flat on the table in front of him and stood, bringing himself up to his full height and leaning over the table. He got right in Garcia's face as he spoke.

"You had no right to treat him like that," Michael growled.

"He volunteered," Garcia shot back.

"And you tossed him to the sharks," Michael countered.

From outside the room, Horatio and Tim saw the interview suddenly turn heated and decided it was time to intervene. They pushed their way through the door.

"Gentlemen," Horatio interrupted. They all turned to look at him. "I think this interview is over."

Tim stood protectively at his father's side with a hand on his shoulder. Garcia stood and straightened his jacket then glanced over at Barnes. Both men headed for the door.

"For now, Lieutenant, for now," Barnes said as they walked out leaving Michael's file sitting open on the table.

Tim looked at his father. "Dad? Is everything all right?"

"Bastards," Michael muttered as he sat down. Tim took a seat next to him. Once Michael had gotten his temper under control, he glanced over at his son with just a hint of amusement in his eyes. "That was sort of fun. It's been a long time since I could piss off federal agents."

Horatio and Tim exchanged a glance. "What the hell is going on, dad?"

Horatio took notice of the file sitting open on the table. He moved closer and was able to see exactly what it was. "Um, Michael?" he questioned as he tuned the file around and pushed it toward Tim. "Care to explain?"

On top of the file was the mug shot of Terrance Cleveland. On the opposite page was another mug shot. This one was of a very young Michael Speedle. Tim looked at it then over at his father.

"Dad?"

Michael remained silent for a moment but he knew there was no way around the truth. After all, all they had to do was read the file. "It was a long time ago, Tim," Michael said. "I was a kid."

Michael proceeded to tell them all about his misspent youth running numbers for Big Tony Maldonado and palling around with his nineteen-year-old driver Terry Cleveland as well as Big Tony's eldest son, Little Tony, who was a year older than Michael. He'd started when he was fourteen, toward the tail end of World War II, to earn some extra money for his family while his father was overseas. He'd socked away some money for himself as well and used it to pay for college later on.

He explained that when he decided to open his own restaurant, Little Tony, who'd taken over the family business from his father, had loaned him the startup money. He'd paid it all back out of the first years profits and had no direct ties to the New Jersey crime boss since.

By the time he'd finished Tim was standing by the window looking out over the parking lot. He ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head. "Why didn't you ever tell me about this before?" he asked.

"Exactly when was I supposed to do that, huh? During the twenty years we weren't speaking to each other? Maybe when I was lying in the hospital?" Michael asked. "It was a long time ago, Tim. I put that part of my life behind me when you were born."

Michael closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "Another headache?" Horatio asked. Michael nodded. "Tim, maybe you should take your father home. We can talk about all of this later, after he's rested."

Tim nodded and walked over to his father. "Come on, dad. Let's get out of here," he said as he helped his father up.

"Don't you have work to do?" Michael asked.

Tim glanced over at Horatio then back to his father. "I've been taken off this case, conflict of interest reasons. Besides, I don't think it's a good idea for you to be on your own right now." Tim understood what could happen if Little Tony Maldonado found out that his father was hanging around with Terrance Cleveland again.

"I hate being babysat," Michael griped.

"Get used to it," Tim replied as they left the room.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Past and Present - Part 6

Author: Aeon Cole

Beta: posting this as I write it so no beta, all mistakes are my own

Rating: FRT

Warning: Slash

Fandom: CSI: Miami

Pairing: Horatio/Speed

Series: Friends and Family

Challenge: 20 Established Relationships

Prompt: #4 Past times

Word Count: 2060

Summary: Horatio and Tim get ready to celebrate their second anniversary as they investigate a murder at Michael's apartment complex. But not everything turns out the way they hope when Michael becomes ill.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

ooo

Friday, July 18, 2003 Evening

Michael was in the living room when the house phone rang. "Can you grab that, dad?" Tim yelled from the kitchen.

"Sure," Michael yelled back. He picked up the phone and said, "Hello."

A deep, slightly hoarse voice with a distinctive accent replied, "May I speak with Michael Speedle?"

Michael froze and for a moment there was silence. He glanced to the living room doorway before he asked, "Tony? Is that you?"

The man at the other end laughed. "Michael, my old friend. It's been too long."

Michael hesitated just slightly before saying, "Yes, it has been." He sat down on the sofa keeping an eye on the door for Tim. "To what do I owe the pleasure, T?"

Tony sighed melodramatically. "You know of my troubles, Michael."

"I know some. I'm sure I don't know it all, Tony," Michael replied.

"Do you remember when we were all kids, Michael? When everything was new and we had our whole lives ahead of us?" the don asked.

Michael couldn't help smiling. "We had some good times," he said.

"It's a different world now, isn't it Michael? People have changed, the old ways are dead and buried," he said. "Loyalty, family, they don't mean anything anymore."

Michael felt a small shiver run through him at the old man's words. "What makes you say that, T?" By using the mob boss's childhood nickname he was hoping to put him at ease and at the same time hide his own nervousness.

"Ah, Michael. You can't fool me, old friend. I know you know about Terrance," he said.

"Only after the fact," Michael responded quickly.

The don chuckled. "I know, I know. But I also know that the feds were using him to spy on you as well as me, once they found out who you were."

"Me? I was no one. A punk kid who ran numbers and errands for your father. What could Terry possibly tell them about me that isn't sixty years out of date?" Michael asked. "Besides, I didn't even know who he was until the other day. I only ever talked about my family, and my health."

"Yes, Michael, I know. It may be your family that they are interested in. In particular your son and his…lifestyle. Besides doesn't it bother you just a little that Terrance knew who you were yet didn't reveal himself to you? Doesn't that make you think?" Michael had to admit that that part of this whole thing bothered him more than anything else. "I can tell by your silence that you have thought about this."

Michael sighed. He was starting to get a twinge behind his eyes again. "I have to admit that's true. And it does bother me a bit. But truth be told, T, I'm not going to be around much longer to worry about it. I want to be around for my son's anniversary. I'm trying to keep things together until then. But I don't feel well and I know my time is limited. I'm upset with Terry, yeah, but there's not much I can do about it. I won't be around long enough for the feds to do anything to me. I told them as much. And as for my son, he's more than capable of taking care of himself."

"I understand. I've been keeping an eye on him and I can see that this Horatio Caine fellow he's involved with is very capable as well."

"What do you mean by you've been keeping an eye on him?" Michael asked with sudden concern.

"Don't worry, Michael. I don't forget about family. And you were always like family to me. I understand why you wanted to keep your distance after he was born. This is no life for a young person to live anymore. But that doesn't mean I'm just going to abandon my loyalties, Michael."

"Tony, please tell me you didn't pull any strings for him behind the scenes anywhere along the line."

The old man laughed. "I never needed to, Michael. As you said, he's very capable of taking care of himself."

Michael let out a sigh of relief. The last thing he wanted was for his own past to come back and jeopardize Tim's career.

"We're both old men now, Michael," Tony said with a sigh. "I'd like to forget about my troubles for a while. Maybe we could spend a few minutes, one last time, entertaining each other one last time with some old memories."

Michael heard the front door open and a moment later Horatio poked his head into the room. He smiled at Michael and waived then left the room in search of Tim. He walked into the kitchen and found Tim peeling shrimp. He gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Who's your dad on the phone with?" he asked.

Tim raised an eyebrow. "No idea," he answered.

Horatio shrugged. "Need any help?" he asked.

Tim said, "Sure."

"What are you making?" Horatio asked as he rolled up his sleeves.

"Shrimp fettuccini. My dad's idea." Tim glanced back toward the kitchen doorway. "Though he was supposed to help me."

Horatio chuckled. "It sounded like he was talking to an old friend. So what do you need me to do?"

"How about you make a salad. That will save me some time," Tim said.

"Good idea. I can't mess that up too much," Horatio replied as he started pulling ingredients out of the refrigerator.

A few minutes later Michael wandered into the kitchen. "Hey, dad. Who was on the phone?"

Michael was silent for a moment while he debated whether or not to tell them the truth. He decided against it for the moment. They both looked happy and he didn't want to spoil the mood. "Just a friend from New York checking up on me," he said.

Tim nodded. "You want to help with dinner?" he asked.

"Sure, but I think I need to sit down. My legs aren't working to well right now," Michael answered.

"Why don't you go relax," Horatio suggested. "We can manage this."

"I'm ok," Michael said, knowing it wasn't really true. "I'll just sit here at the table."

"Are you sure, dad? Don't feel like you have to keep us company if you're not feeling well," Tim said with concern.

Michael chuckled. "You boys trying to get rid of me?"

"Of course not," Tim said. He remained silent for a few minute while he worked on preparing the food before he asked, "Dad, can I ask you something?"

The old man smirked. He was waiting for this. "Can't stop you from askin'," he said.

Tim chuckled. "Fair enough. How in the world did you end up working for Big Tony Maldonado?"

"I knew that was coming," Michael said.

"Come on. You can't blame me for being curious," Tim replied.

Horatio finished what he was doing and placed the salad in the refrigerator. He took a seat at the table across from Michael. "Or me," he added.

Michael addressed himself primarily to Horatio as Tim was facing the stove, though he was listening. "My father was drafted into the army in 1942. We never had a lot before he went overseas. My mother went to work in a factory, which left me on my own most of the time, not always the best thing for a thirteen year old.

I would hang out with the other boys after school. Sometimes we'd end up going across the river to hang out on the boardwalk. That's where I met Tony, the younger one. We started hanging out. His father had a huge house and things I could only dream about. He offered me some work after school and I took it. He only ever had one condition, I had to stay in school and make good grades. If I didn't, I'd be out on the street again. He made sure I saved some of the money so I could go to college."

"What do you think would have happened to you if you hadn't met up with these people?" Horatio asked.

Michael shrugged. "The path I was on, if I'd met up with the New York boys first, they'd have sucked me right into their organization. I saw it happen to a few of my friends."

Tim chuckled. "So you actually have a Mafia boss to thank for the fact that you didn't end up a criminal. That's classic."

One side of Michael's mouth quirked up. "I suppose you're right. But I did get arrested a couple of times before it was all over. You're grandfather never let me live that down. He was upset that I got my money for college from illegal activities instead of honest work. But the truth is, I'd never have been able to go to cooking school if I'd had to work a regular job. There just weren't enough hours in the day for both."

"Do you ever regret it?" Horatio asked.

"Sometimes, but not much. I'd be a very different person today, I can tell you that. I wouldn't have met Ary and I wouldn't have Tim. Which I suppose also means you wouldn't have Tim."

"Hmm, good point," Horatio replied glancing over at his lover. "I can't really argue with that logic."

Tim took the sauce off the stove and started dishing out dinner. "I agree," he said. "So one more question, dad. What time do the festivities start tomorrow?" he asked with a smirk. Michael just looked at him. "Oh, come on. I'm not going to spoil mom's surprise. I'm just curious."

"Well that depends, do you two have to work tomorrow?" Michael asked.

Horatio answered, "Nope. The Terrance Cleveland case has been taken away from us. Conflict of interest so the feds took it over. They'll work with the rest of the team."

"Sorry boys, that's my fault," Michael said.

Tim placed a plate of food in front of his father then took the salad out of the refrigerator. "Don't worry about that," he said. "It's for the best. Horatio doesn't need to piss off any more mob types," he added as he kissed the redheads cheek.

Michael raised an eyebrow. Horatio shrugged. "Comes with the job."

"I think I'd rather not know about that," Michael said. Tim glanced at him. "So I'm supposed to keep you two busy until Ary calls. Probably be around one or so." He glanced around the room. "By the way, where's Oscar? He doesn't usually miss a mealtime like this."

"He over by the sliding glass doors staring out into the yard. Cloe's out there playing. He didn't seem to want to go out with her though," Horatio answered.

"Well, the woman at the pound said he was a house cat, didn't much like being outside," Michael said.

ooo

Cloe stood by the fence looking back at the house. She could just make out Oscar's form at the door. "Who's that?" the cat on the other side of the fence asked.

"My humans brought him home yesterday, along with his human. I think they live with us now," Cloe answered.

"Why doesn't he come outside and play?"

"Because, he's a house cat," Cloe said trying to mimic Oscar's voice. "He doesn't do outside."

"Maybe you could show him?"

"Doubt it. He's old. Doesn't much feel like changing his ways. Suits me fine. Outside is my place, not his."

"Give him some time to settle in. He'll come around."

"I guess," Cloe replied then wandered off toward the house.

She stopped for a moment to roll in the grass before heading inside. She pushed past Oscar and made her way to the kitchen and her food dish. Oscar followed and came up behind her, sniffing her.

"Do you mind? I'm trying to eat," she griped.

"Sorry kid. Just never smelled this before."

"It's grass. Now leave me alone and let me eat."

ooo

Michael heard meowing and put his hand down. "Come here Oscar. Leave Cloe alone." Oscar rubbed his head against Michael's hand then curled up at his feet. "I hope they're going to be ok together," Michael said.

"They'll be fine, dad. Besides, it's just for a little while," Tim said. "You should be able to go home soon."

Michael nodded and exchanged a glance with Horatio.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Title: Past and Present (7/7)

Author: Aeon Cole

Beta: posting this as I write it so no beta, all mistakes are my own

Rating: FRT

Warning: Slash

Fandom: CSI: Miami

Pairing: Horatio/Speed

Series: Friends and Family

Challenge: 20 Established Relationships

Prompt: #17 Home

Word Count: 2200

Summary: Horatio and Tim get ready to celebrate their second anniversary as they investigate a murder at Michael's apartment complex. But not everything turns out the way they hope when Michael becomes ill.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

ooo

As they got ready for bed Tim noticed that Horatio seemed distracted and was more quiet than usual. He glanced over at him. "Ok, spill it," he said.

Horatio looked up and stared at him for a moment as if he hadn't understood what he'd said. "Huh?" he responded.

Tim smirked. "What's up with the silent treatment?"

"Oh, sorry," Horatio said quickly.

He needed to talk to Tim about Michael and he knew it wasn't going to be easy. He had hoped to put this off until after the party tomorrow so as not to spoil the mood but he'd had a talk with Michael the night before and obviously he was having trouble keeping a secret.

"I, um… There's something I need to talk to you about," he said.

Something in Horatio's tone told Tim that this was serious. He walked over and took a seat on the bed next to Horatio. "What is it?"

"It's about your father. Last night, while you were cleaning up from dinner, he confided in me about something. He didn't want me to say anything until after the party tomorrow," Horatio began to explain.

"Horatio, what about my father?" Tim said, getting impatient.

"I think it would be a good idea if he stays here rather than going back to his apartment." Tim looked confused. He knew his father was very independent and he couldn't imagine him not wanting to be on his own. Horatio took Tim's hand. "He's not well. He can't manage on his own anymore. I don't know if you're actually seeing it or not but he can barely walk and his headaches are becoming more frequent." He could see what he was saying was beginning to upset his partner but he had to tell him the truth. "I don't think he has much more time. He should spend what time he has here with us, not alone."

"Is, um, is that what he said to you?" Tim asked, not meeting Horatio's eyes.

Horatio nodded. "Mmm hmm. He says he's having too much trouble managing on his own. He says it's gotten much worse the past few days." Tim rested his head on Horatio's shoulder. "I know this is difficult for you," Horatio said as he placed an arm around him. "But he wants to be with you, with us, for whatever time he has left."

ooo

Tim stood at the kitchen counter absently fixing himself some breakfast. He'd been standing there with a knife in his hand staring blankly at a piece of toast for a few minutes. He'd had a restless night with his dreams disturbed by images of his father in danger. He hadn't thought that things were so bad for his father but he supposed it was possible that he was only seeing what he wanted to see and not what was really there. He heard a noise behind him and turned to see his father slowly making his way into the kitchen. He stared for a moment noticing for what seemed like the first time just how old and frail he looked and it scared him a little.

He forced a smile and said, "Hey, dad."

Michael looked up and smiled back as he made his way to the chair. "Mornin'."

Tim noticed he was having some trouble with the chair and hurried over to help. "Let me get that for you," he said. He realized just how bad things had gotten the past couple of days for Michael when he didn't protest being helped into the chair. "You want some  
breakfast?" Tim asked trying to keep his tone light.

"Some coffee to get the old heart started," Michael joked tapping his chest.

Tim chuckled and placed a cup of coffee on the table in front of Michael who nodded his thanks and took a sip from the cup. They sat together in silence for a few minutes while Tim observed his father closely. He noticed his hands shaking slightly as he picked up the coffee cup. He slowly became aware of all of the wrinkles around his father's gaunt face. For the first time he made himself really look at the man closely and had to close his eyes for a moment as he realized what Horatio had said to him the night before was true. Michael was not well. He didn't have much time left. And suddenly Tim wished he could make him live forever. But at the same time the reality that he couldn't possibly do that came crashing down on him. For too many years he had wanted nothing to do with Michael and now he only wanted him around for as long as possible. He came to a  
decision.

"Dad?" Michael looked up at him. "I was wondering about something. Do you like it here? At the house, I mean."

"Yeah, it's a really nice place. Why do you ask?"

"Well, um, I was thinking. Why don't you stay here with us? Instead of going back to the apartment, I mean. We both love having you here and, well, Oscar and Cloe seem to get along and you've got your own room. This place is big enough for three of us. What do you think?"

Michael smirked. "You've been talking to Horatio," he said.

Tim shrugged. "We both agree on this, dad."

"I'll think about it. How's that?"

"All I'm asking for, dad." Tim said. "Now let me get you some breakfast." Michael rolled his eyes.

ooo

Horatio wandered into the living room while talking on his cell phone. "I understand. Well I hope they get him. I'm just glad to be rid of it, myself." He listened for a moment then said, "Thanks for calling," then snapped the phone shut and slipped it back into his  
pocket. He looked over at Tim and Michael. "It seems the feds have tracked Terrance Cleveland's killer back to New Jersey."

"No surprise there," Tim said.

"No, not really," Horatio said. "But since the guy crossed state lines to escape the feds have taken the case completely over. They are taking all the files back to the New York office. So it's out of our hands now."

"They'll never get him," Michael said. Both men looked at him. "He's probably dead already, if I know Tony."

Tim's cell phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. "Hello," he said.

"Hey, buddy, it's Jeff. I was wondering if you had some time to come over and help me with something today."

Tim smirked. He couldn't resist teasing his friend just a bit. "Oh, man, I don't know. I'm kinda busy today, Jeff." He looked over at Horatio was wasn't even trying to keep a straight face.

"I promise it will only take a minute," Jeff said, sounding just a little desperate.

Tim tried very hard not to laugh. He sighed dramatically. "Ok, I'll be there in couple of minutes."

"Thanks. Oh, and, bring Horatio. It's a three man job," Jeff said before he hung up.

Tim snapped his phone shut and started laughing. "I thought he was going to have a heart attack for a moment there." He glanced over at Horatio. "Time to be surprised," he said.

ooo

Michael sat in the corner of the living room watching the festivities. His wife had done a good job setting everything up and getting everyone there. There was music and food and lots of his son's friends. He recognized a few people but most he had to be introduced to. He realized that Tim and Horatio had a lot of friends and he was glad of that because he knew that soon enough his son would need his friends.

Arya wandered over to her husband and took a seat next to him. He glanced at her and smiled. "It's a great party, Ary. You did a good job putting it all together."

He held out his hand and she took it. They sat together in silence for a while just watching their son laugh and have fun with his friends. It had been a very long time since they had been able to enjoy such a simple thing together. Michael sighed but it came out as more of a wheeze.

"You remember when we used to do this. When he was little?" he asked. Arya smiled, a sad smile, and nodded. "I'm glad I had the chance to do it again," he said and gave her hand a squeeze.

Arya was content to just sit with Michael. She could tell when she saw him walk in that he wasn't well. He'd been keeping her at arms length this past month and now she knew why. She knew that he knew that he couldn't keep something like his failing health from her. She would see right through his façade. She knew him too well. In fact she knew him better than even he realized.

From across the room Horatio caught sight of his in-laws sitting on the sofa holding hands. He nudged Tim and cocked his head toward the sofa. Tim smiled. Horatio whispered something in his ear. Tim nodded and Horatio pulled a small digital camera out of his pocket as they walked over to Michael and Arya. He smiled at them.

"How about a picture?" he asked.

Arya moved over and let Tim sit between her and Michael. Tim placed an arm around each of his parents and Horatio took a couple of pictures. After, Horatio turned his camera on the rest of the party leaving Tim a few minutes alone with his parents.

"Thanks for all of this, mom. It was a nice surprise," he said.

"Well thank you for saying so, Timmy," Arya said. "But I don't believe for a second that you were actually surprised. You wouldn't be much of a CSI if a little thing like this could surprise you."

Tim chuckled and exchanged a look with his father. "We didn't want to spoil your fun," he said turning back to his mother. He pulled her close and kissed her cheek.

Horatio stood with Alexx at the other side of the room. She looked over at the three on the sofa then back to Horatio. "Michael doesn't look good, Horatio," she said.

The redhead sighed. "He's not. We've been talking. He's tired of fighting," he said shaking his head.

"How's Timmy dealing with it?" she asked with motherly concern.

Again Horatio sighed. "When I said we've been talking, I meant Michael and me. I had a talk with Tim last night but I'm not sure the extent of everything has sunk in yet."

She placed a hand on his arm. "You know you can call me anytime if you need to talk, Horatio. Don't try to deal with this on your own."

Horatio nodded. "Thanks, Alexx," he said just as Tim wandered over.

"Hey, Timmy," Alexx said and pulled him into a hug. "Congratulations, baby."

Tim hugged her back. "Thanks, Alexx," he replied.

She pulled back but kept her hands on his arms. "You enjoying your party?"

Tim smiled. "Yeah. You and my mom did a great job. Thanks."

ooo

Both Horatio and Tim said good-bye to each of their guests as they left. Tim looked over at the sofa where his mother and father were talking. "We should probably get my dad home. He looks tired." Horatio agreed and they headed over to join Michael and Arya. "Hey, dad. You ready to go?"

Arya helped Michael to stand up and he gave her a quick kiss. She caught Horatio's eye, silently asking to speak privately with him. "Um, Tim, why don't you help Michael out to the car. I think I left my camera in the other room. I'll be out in a minute."

"Sure, we'll meet you out there," Tim replied.

Once they were out the door, Arya said, "Thanks for taking Michael in, Horatio. But he's much worse than I thought and I'm worried, more worried about Tim than Michael. Michael's come to terms with everything. I get the feeling Tim hasn't."

Horatio pulled the older woman into a hug. "He's beginning to. I know it won't be easy but he's a survivor."

ooo

Michael said good night to Tim and Horatio. He gave his son a hug and shook Horatio's hand. He thanked them for letting him stay in their home then he slowly made his way to his room and closed the door. He sat on the edge of the bed and kicked off his shoes then lay down.

He was tired, bone tired, soul tired. He couldn't fight it any longer. He could hear sounds out in the house; Tim rummaging around in the kitchen, Horatio on the phone. He closed his eyes and listened. A sense of piece washed over him as the sounds began to slowly fade into the background. He tried to open his eyes but his body wasn't responding to his commands any longer. He felt a twinge in his chest and he gasped just slightly but the sound went unnoticed outside the room. As the background sounds finally faded away, Michael's final thoughts were with his wife and son.

Fin

AN: Yes I'm ending it there for now. This story will continue with the next installment of the series.


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